Why Do Roses Cost More on Valentine’s Day? (Hint: It’s not what you think)

Ah, Valentine’s Day! A day of loving couples, heart-shaped boxes, and, of course, Roses! No flower is more synonymous with ‘The Feast of Saint Valentine’ than the noble and boldly colored Rose. While savvy consumers may notice a slight rise in the price of these lovely blooms around the ‘Lover’s Holiday’, many fail to recognize the cause. The increase in the price of Roses around Valentine’s Day has nothing to do with price gouging, but rather with the exploding increase in demand.

What Am I Paying For?

Even the least sentimental among us knows that if you want to show your sweetie you care, you present them with a lush bouquet of long-stemmed Roses. What many may not realize, however, is just how much effort goes into coaxing the perfect bloom into life. In order to keep up with holiday demand, Rose growers employ a technique known as “pinching back”, which requires the grower to trim back otherwise viable buds in order to nurture one perfectly formed long-stemmed Rose. Growers can spend over two months of dedicated care in order to produce an adequate holiday crop. And all this extra care translates into higher costs for florists and customers alike.

But just because you can’t get around paying more for Roses around Valentine’s Day, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get the most bang for your buck! Make sure you’re not wasting your money on an inferior bloom by visiting a professional florist, like Skip’s Toms River Florist and Gifts in Ocean County. Skip’s has a wide variety of professionally graded and expertly arranged Valentine’s Day Roses and bouquets.

How Can I Tell If a Rose is High Quality?

Just look at it. Vivid or delicate colors, strong and healthy stems, unblemished leaves and petals; these are all hallmarks of quality to look for. To ensure a longer vase-life, select Roses that are more ‘open’ than ‘tight’. Many consumers mistakenly believe that a ‘tight’ Rose will live longer, when in truth, a more robust flower has had more time to draw nourishment from its parent plant and is therefor more likely to stay ‘fresh’ looking for longer.

Do Valentine’s Day Roses Need to be Red?

Certainly not! In fact, while men tend to prefer bolder, brighter colors, like the deep crimson typically associated with Valentine’s Day Roses, most women prefer just the opposite. Many women adore the softer, gentler hues of lighter colored Rose varieties. So if you’re looking to take some special ladies breath away this Valentine’s Day, forgo the crimson red in favor of the soft pink gradient of the Sweet Unique of the marbled orange/reds of the High and Magic.

The lovely High and Magic

However you choose to surprise that special someone this Valentine’s Day, do it with the highest quality flowers around! Where do you find the highest quality flowers around? At Skip’s Toms River Florist and Gifts in Ocean County, of course! Skip’s Toms River Florist and Gifts is a third generation, family-owned florist offering only the highest quality blooms and, of course, gorgeous long-stemmed Roses in a wide variety of colors and styles.

Sound Off!

Do you prefer traditional red Roses, or are you partial to more exotic varieties? What’s your favorite variety? Leave a comment and let us know!